Kanchipuram Idli – a delicious and flavorful steamed rice and lentil cake
Kanchipuram Idli / Kovil Idli are very popular South Indian Idli variety which is slightly different then the plain regular Idli. It is originated from a small town of Tamilnadu- Kanchipuram and hence it is popular as Kanchipuram Idli. These delicious Idli’s are also served in many South Indian temples as prasad /Naivedhya and then distributed to the devotees present there.
The main flavours of this Kanchipuram Idli are crushed pepper corns and cumin, soaked chana daal, asafoetida,ginger and ginger powder. The batter is made with urad daal ,rice and fenugreek seeds. Addition of some poha makes these Idli more fluffy and softer. Traditionally the ratio of rice and lentil for making kanchipuram Idli is 2:1 .
You can also make these Idlis with the normal Idli batter, just add the ingredients and the tempering in the batter and make Idli. Traditionally These Idli are steamed in bamboo cases which are lined with Madhurai leaves and these leaves lend a very nice distinct flavor to these Idli.
You can also steam these Idlis like you normally steam your Idlis or can use small cups, tumblers ,dhokla plates and cake tins to steam.These Idlis are usually cut into slices and served like cake slices so you can use what ever is convenient for you.
These kanchipuram Idli are quite flavorful and delicious so can be have without any chutney or podi. But pairs well with tomato chili chutney and coconut chutney.
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Kanchipuram Idli,Kovil Idli
Ingredients
- 4 cup Ready dosa batter *
- 2.5 tbsp Bengal gram /chana daal soaked
- pinch Asafoetida / Hing powder
- 1 tsp Ginger Powder / Saunth
waghar/ tadka
- 1.5 tsp Clarified Butter / Desi Ghee
- 1 tsp Cumin Seeds / Sabut Jeera slightly crushed
- 2 tsp Peppercorns / Sabut Kali Mirch pounded coarsely
- 1.5 tsp White lentil/urad daal optional
- 2 tbsp Cashew Nuts / Kaju chopped
- 1.5 tbsp Ginger / Adrak chopped
- 2 small Green Chili optional
- 1/3 tsp Asafoetida / Hing powder
- 15 Curry Leaves / Kadi Patta chopped
Instructions
- Soak 2.5 cup rice, 1/4 cup poha, 1/3 tsp of fenugreek seeds and 1 cup of urad daal for 6 hours and then drain the water and grind both rice and daal into a fine paste.Then cover the bowl and keep it to ferment overnight OR use the normal ready idli batter
- Soak the chana daal in a separate bowl for 1 hours.
How To Make Kanchipuram Idli
- First add ginger powder,salt ,asafoetida and the soaked chana daal in the batter and mix.
- Make the tempering- heat ghee in a small pan and add crushed pepper corns and cumin seeds, then add cashew and urad daal, when cashew turn golden then add chopped chilies and curry leaves.
- When cashew turn golden then add the chopped chilies and curry leaves.
- Now switch off the flame and add asafoetida powder.Now add the tempering in the prepared batter and mix gently
- Pour the prepared batter in the idli moulds/ cups/tumbler/dhokla plates
- Boil water in a steamer or idli cooker and when it start to boil place the idli stand or any mould you are using in the steamer.
- Cover with a lid and steam cook for 15 to 20 minutes on high heat.
- After 15 minutes check by inserting a toothpick in the middle of the idli. If it came out clean then the idlis are done perfectly.
- Wait for 2 minutes and then using a wet spoon scoop out the idli's
- Serve hot kanchipuram idlis with sambhar , coconut chutney or Tomato chutney.
Sita Srinivasan says
2 cups udad dhal for 1 cup rice is a lot!
1 cup rice, 1 cup udad dhal soaked together and ground coarsely is good. Rest of your recipe is correct.
anjanaskc says
Thank You ,Edited the post